There are some pretty strange interpretations of 1 Peter 3:18-20, so it is only right we should look at it more closely to determine just what it is saying.
For example: is it teaching a descent into hell by some spiritual form of the Christ after his death on the cross yet before the resurrection of his body? Or, is it teaching something entirely different? It is fair to say, that whatever it is saying, it ought to fit into the context of Peter’s letter. Secondly, it ought to fit into the other teachings of Scripture as well. The rule, first, is: that for any word, phrase, or clause that might be taken in more than one way, that the one way which harmonizes with the immediate context is the preferred one. And the second is: that for apparently obscure or ambiguous passages, doctrines ought not to be founded on them that are not more clearly taught in other parts of Scripture. These are the general hermeneutic rules of CONTEXT and PARALLEL PASSAGES agreed upon universally by Christians as well as secular literary scholars.
Here is the text in the KJV: “18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”
Because of the almost universal familiarity of the Apostles Creed, the phrases: “…Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven…” seems to impel us to interpret Peter as explaining this event. But does this notion of Peter’s meaning fit his context?
I think it is obvious that, it is this fabrication of Peter’s meaning that effectually makes Peter’s context appear inscrutable. It is this preconceived notion that renders Peter’s words unclear and ambiguous, and that accounts for some pretty wild theories that have no support from all the rest of Scripture. I would simply ask: how does a spirit Christ speaking to spirits in prison advance any of Peter’s previous points or support any of his points that fallow? Peter’s previous and fallowing allusions to the Spirit of Christ’s appealing, all have to do with salvation and the ability to die as it were to sin and live unto him a new life in resurrection power discounting opposition and having a lively hope. How would this imported meaning explaine Peter’s next statement? “21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” I think if you try very hard and seek to be consistent you will see the difficulty. Spirits in prison do not get saved they are there because they rejected the appeals of the Spirit of Christ in the first place when they refused to believe Noah, Methuselah, Enoch, and others who preached to them.
Here is what God said about the appeals He made unto them and how he proposed to handle it in Genesis 6: “3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” Now it is an abundant and clear teaching of Scripture that in preaching it is not preachers but the Spirit of Christ that appeals to sinners and saints alike, and that appeal is in his words which he puts into the preachers mouth. Peter has mentioned this already in chapter 1: “11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” Also, the very words that were written come to us as to them, “25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you,” by the same Spirit. So it is clear in Scripture that Christ by his Spirit before the flood went and preached to these people who died in the flood. They being disobedient then, like people who mock and despise believers are disobedient today, were judged in the flood. It is appointed unto man once to die then the judgment. Presently they are spirits in prison; they know the ark made a difference. Now the figure of baptism makes sense.
By being baptized we identify with the death of Christ which has quenched the fires of God’s wrath against our sin and sins, just like the ark floated above the waters of God’s wrath then. In Christ there is no condemnation. Also we identify with his resurrection, and in Christ there is ability to live as he did here, new creatures. Just like Noah and the 7 others lived, so do saints; baptism is just a public proclamation of that fact, and it preaches just as the ark floating preached. Just like that world then mocked, rejected, and persecuted so will men today. This fits the context neatly. Further more there is ample Bible teaching in support of every notion raised in this interpretation. Christian baptism condemns the world; they will not like it. Just like Noah’s building the ark condemned the world that then was, so your baptism is an outward act showing forth your security in the death burial and resurrection of Christ. This is not a subjective clear conscience; it is objectively the answer of a good conscience toward God. It shows forth the gospel.
Lastly there is power to withstand trials and persecution in this: “14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.” These are the preceding verses and now the context of Peter is not at all foggy.
Now there is another verse in 1 Peter affected by the interpretation of this verse it is in chapter 4: “6 For, for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” Prison spirits do not get saved, but our brothers and sisters who have passed away before us did. Even if men judge us in the flesh and condemn us in persecution, we have eternal life. This, the Spirit of Christ in his word and preaching did in us as it came unto us quickening us in the power of the gospel; it did the same for our brethren that are dead.
It is my hope that this will be helpful to every one who reads this and has struggled with these passages. …DGB
For example: is it teaching a descent into hell by some spiritual form of the Christ after his death on the cross yet before the resurrection of his body? Or, is it teaching something entirely different? It is fair to say, that whatever it is saying, it ought to fit into the context of Peter’s letter. Secondly, it ought to fit into the other teachings of Scripture as well. The rule, first, is: that for any word, phrase, or clause that might be taken in more than one way, that the one way which harmonizes with the immediate context is the preferred one. And the second is: that for apparently obscure or ambiguous passages, doctrines ought not to be founded on them that are not more clearly taught in other parts of Scripture. These are the general hermeneutic rules of CONTEXT and PARALLEL PASSAGES agreed upon universally by Christians as well as secular literary scholars.
Here is the text in the KJV: “18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”
Because of the almost universal familiarity of the Apostles Creed, the phrases: “…Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven…” seems to impel us to interpret Peter as explaining this event. But does this notion of Peter’s meaning fit his context?
I think it is obvious that, it is this fabrication of Peter’s meaning that effectually makes Peter’s context appear inscrutable. It is this preconceived notion that renders Peter’s words unclear and ambiguous, and that accounts for some pretty wild theories that have no support from all the rest of Scripture. I would simply ask: how does a spirit Christ speaking to spirits in prison advance any of Peter’s previous points or support any of his points that fallow? Peter’s previous and fallowing allusions to the Spirit of Christ’s appealing, all have to do with salvation and the ability to die as it were to sin and live unto him a new life in resurrection power discounting opposition and having a lively hope. How would this imported meaning explaine Peter’s next statement? “21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” I think if you try very hard and seek to be consistent you will see the difficulty. Spirits in prison do not get saved they are there because they rejected the appeals of the Spirit of Christ in the first place when they refused to believe Noah, Methuselah, Enoch, and others who preached to them.
Here is what God said about the appeals He made unto them and how he proposed to handle it in Genesis 6: “3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.” Now it is an abundant and clear teaching of Scripture that in preaching it is not preachers but the Spirit of Christ that appeals to sinners and saints alike, and that appeal is in his words which he puts into the preachers mouth. Peter has mentioned this already in chapter 1: “11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” Also, the very words that were written come to us as to them, “25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you,” by the same Spirit. So it is clear in Scripture that Christ by his Spirit before the flood went and preached to these people who died in the flood. They being disobedient then, like people who mock and despise believers are disobedient today, were judged in the flood. It is appointed unto man once to die then the judgment. Presently they are spirits in prison; they know the ark made a difference. Now the figure of baptism makes sense.
By being baptized we identify with the death of Christ which has quenched the fires of God’s wrath against our sin and sins, just like the ark floated above the waters of God’s wrath then. In Christ there is no condemnation. Also we identify with his resurrection, and in Christ there is ability to live as he did here, new creatures. Just like Noah and the 7 others lived, so do saints; baptism is just a public proclamation of that fact, and it preaches just as the ark floating preached. Just like that world then mocked, rejected, and persecuted so will men today. This fits the context neatly. Further more there is ample Bible teaching in support of every notion raised in this interpretation. Christian baptism condemns the world; they will not like it. Just like Noah’s building the ark condemned the world that then was, so your baptism is an outward act showing forth your security in the death burial and resurrection of Christ. This is not a subjective clear conscience; it is objectively the answer of a good conscience toward God. It shows forth the gospel.
Lastly there is power to withstand trials and persecution in this: “14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.” These are the preceding verses and now the context of Peter is not at all foggy.
Now there is another verse in 1 Peter affected by the interpretation of this verse it is in chapter 4: “6 For, for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” Prison spirits do not get saved, but our brothers and sisters who have passed away before us did. Even if men judge us in the flesh and condemn us in persecution, we have eternal life. This, the Spirit of Christ in his word and preaching did in us as it came unto us quickening us in the power of the gospel; it did the same for our brethren that are dead.
It is my hope that this will be helpful to every one who reads this and has struggled with these passages. …DGB
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